As the outer reaches of the Earth’s atmosphere and space are opened to commercial development, motors will become increasingly important to systems places there for various functions. With the inevitability of manufacturing in space, motors – including their drivers – will take on even more functions. Of equal importance will be the motor drivers selected to drive those motors efficiently and reliably.
Components in Electronics
October, 2021
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Gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors allow for innovation in the harsh radiation environments of space applications.
Electronics Weekly
September, 2021
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Unlike silicon, whereby specific manufacturing processes and packaging are required to insulate semiconductors from the effects of radiation, GaN devices are largely resistant to the damage caused by space radiation due to their physical characteristics and structure. In an interview with Alex Lidow, CEO at EPC, Power Electronic News have discovered the features of GaN for space applications.
Power Electronics News
September 2021
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EPC Space’s Rad Hard GaN power devices have higher performance, lower mass, smaller footprint, and much lower cost than traditional silicon Rad Hard MOSFETs.
HAVERHILL, MA.— August 2021 — For the past five years EPC Space has been delivering and continues to deliver Rad Hard GaN discrete and module power products which offer higher performance and lower cost power management solutions for high reliability and space applications when compared to traditional silicon-based Rad Hard transistors and ICs.
EPC Space technology produces devices that are smaller, have lower resistance, and have many times superior switching performance compared to silicon solutions. Spanning a range of 40 Volts to 300 Volts, and 4 Amperes to 30 Amperes, the discrete power transistor family demonstrates significant performance advantages over competitive silicon-based Rad Hard power MOSFETs. The Drivers and Power Stages product line includes ultra-fast low-side eGaN drivers, ultra-fast dual low-side eGaN drivers, and half bridge drivers with integrated eGaN power switches.
Beyond the overall higher performance, these devices offer superior radiation hardness under heavy ions (SEE), gamma radiation (TID), and Neutron Displacement Damage (DD) as compared to Si solution; moreover, SEE immunity is guaranteed by wafer. EPC Space devices are manufactured in the US at an AS9100D certified facility located in the greater Boston area. It is worth noting, that tens of thousands of these devices are already on board of satellites flying in LEO and GEO orbits with mission lives of more than ten years.
Space Level Pricing Table:
Compare these prices to your current solution before your next design!
| Part Number | Voltage | Current Unit Pricing at 500 Piece Quantities |
| FBG04N08ASH | 40 | $270.00 |
| FBG04N30BSH | 40 | $270.00 |
| EPC7014UBSH | 60 | $160.00 |
| FBG10N30BSH | 100 | $270.00 |
| FBG10N05ASH | 100 | $270.00 |
| FBG20N18BSH | 200 | $270.00 |
| FBG30N04CSH | 300 | $285.00 |
| FBSGAM01P-R-PSE | 100 | $300.00 |
| FBSGAM02P-R-PSE | 50 | $550.00 |
| FBS-GAM01-P-R50 | 50 | $500.00 |
| FBS-GAM01-P-R100 | 100 | $500.00 |
| FBS-GAM02-P-R50 | 50 | $650.00 |
“With the performance, reliability, and price advantage clearly on the side of EPC Space GaN devices, it is hard to justify continuing to pay two times the price for lower performing, heavier, larger silicon-based power solutions” commented Bel Lazar, CEO. “With GaN solutions for applications from LEO to GEO at half the price of Rad Hard silicon MOSFETs, the time to switch to GaN is now.”Critical spaceborne applications that benefit from GaN performance and price include, but not limited to, power supplies for satellites and mission equipment, light detection and ranging (lidar) for robotics, autonomous navigation and rendezvous docking, motor drives for reaction wheels, robotics and instrumentation, and ion thrusters for satellite orientation and positioning as well as interplanetary propulsion of low-mass robotic vehicles.
About EPC Space
EPC Space provides revolutionary high-reliability radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride power management solutions for space and other harsh environments.
Radiation hardened GaN-based power devices address critical spaceborne environments for applications including power supplies, light detection and ranging (lidar), motor drive, and ion thrusters.
eGaN is a registered trademark of Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, Inc.
Press Contact
Efficient Space: Renee Yawger tel: +1.908.619.9678 email: renee.yawger@epc.space
EPC Space is providing Rad Hard GaN power devices to Astranis for use in the latest build of new small geostationary communications satellites.
HAVERHILL, MA.— August 2021 — EPC Space announces that it has been selected by Astranis to provide Rad Hard gallium nitride-based power devices for use in DC power supplies on the latest satellite build. Astranis announced earlier that it has started to build four new small geostationary communications satellites, three of which are already spoken for signed deals with new, yet-to-be-announced customers.
This new build of Astranis satellites is expected to offer 15% greater lifetime and 20% greater throughput the first-generation model, without increasing satellite hardware costs.
Astranis is building small, low-cost telecommunications satellites to connect the four billion people who currently do not have access to the internet. Each spacecraft operates from geostationary orbit (GEO) with a next-generation design of only 400 kg. By owning and operating its satellites and offering them to customers as a turnkey solution, Astranis can provide bandwidth-as-a-service and unlock previously unreachable markets.
The Rad Hard GaN power devices that EPC Space is providing to Astranis provide high precision, small size, low weight, and can withstand the harsh environment of space.
“We are honored that Astranis has selected EPC Space as a trusted vendor to provide Rad Hard GaN for their geostationary satellites” commented Bel Lazar, CEO. “This program will add to the tens of thousands of our units already on board of satellites flying in LEO and GEO orbit with mission lives of more than 10 years.”
About EPC Space
EPC Space provides revolutionary high-reliability radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride power management solutions for space and other harsh environments.
Radiation hardened GaN-based power devices address critical spaceborne environments for applications including power supplies, light detection and ranging (lidar), motor drive, and ion thrusters.
eGaN is a registered trademark of Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, Inc.
Press Contact
Efficient Space: Renee Yawger tel: +1.908.619.9678 email: renee.yawger@epc.space
EPC Space introduces a new 60 V radiation-hardened (rad-hard) gallium nitride (GaN) transistor for power conversion solutions in critical spaceborne and other high reliability environments.
HAVERHILL, MA.— July 2021 — EPC Space announces the introduction of EPC7014UB, a 60 V radiation-hardened gallium nitride transistor that is lower in cost and is a more efficient solution than the nearest comparable radiation hardened (RH) silicon MOSFET. Utilizing GaN technology, the EPC7014UB outperforms RH silicon-based devices as it offers higher breakdown strength, faster switching speed, and lower on-resistance, than other RH power devices.
Lower resistance and gate charge enable faster power supply switching frequencies resulting in higher power densities, higher efficiencies, and more compact and lighter weight circuitry for critical spaceborne missions.
Applications benefiting from the performance of these products include power supplies for satellites and space mission equipment, light detection and ranging (lidar) for robotics and autonomous navigation and rendezvous docking, motor drives for robotics, instrumentation and reaction wheels, and ion thrusters for satellite orientation and positioning, as well as interplanetary propulsion of low-mass robotic vehicles. Additionally, the EPC7014UB can be used as a gate driver interface between CMOS or TTL control circuits and power devices in a radiation hardened environment.
The EPC7014UB, is a 60 V, 580 mΩ, 4 APulsed, rad-hard eGaN FET in an industry standard UB package. The EPC7014UB has a total dose rating greater than 1 Mrad and SEE immunity for LET of 85 MeV/(mg/cm2). These devices are also offered in a chip-scale package from EPC.
“GaN technology enables a new generation of power conversion and motor drives in space operating at higher frequencies, higher efficiencies, lower cost, and greater power densities than achievable with rad hard silicon” said Bel Lazar, CEO of EPC Space. “We are excited about this technology’s ability to provide mission-critical components for the space and other high-reliability markets”.
Price & Availability
500 units space level grade pricing starts at $160/each. Contact factory for availability and delivery.
About EPC Space
EPC Space provides revolutionary high-reliability radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride power management solutions for space and other harsh environments.
Radiation hardened GaN-based power devices address critical spaceborne environments for applications including power supplies, light detection and ranging (lidar), motor drive, and ion thrusters.
eGaN is a registered trademark of Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, Inc.
Press Contact
Efficient Space: Renee Yawger, +1 908 619 9678 email: renee.yawger@epc.space
Spirit Electronics Podcast: What Can GaN Do in Space? Rad Hard Products and Applications
In this episode, EPC Space CEO Bel Lazar talks with Marti about the company’s product lines and applications, as well as the ability of GaN devices to withstand radiation and harsh environmental conditions in space.
Gallium nitride power device technology enables a new generation of power converters in space operating at higher frequencies, higher efficiencies, and greater power densities than ever achievable before. GaN power devices can also exhibit superior radiation tolerance compared with Silicon MOSFETs depending upon their device design.
Power Electronics Europe
December, 2020
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Rad Hard GaN discrete devices on adaptors are optimized to speed the time-to-market for critical applications in the high reliability or commercial satellite space environments.
HAVERHILL, MA.— October 2020 — EPC Space announced a family of Rad Hard enhancement mode power transistors on ceramic adaptors spanning a range of 40 Volts to 300 Volts, and 4 Amperes to 30 Amperes. These products demonstrate significant performance advantages over competitive silicon-based Rad Hard power MOSFETs. The lower resistance and gate charge enable faster power supply switching frequencies resulting in higher power densities, higher efficiencies and more compact and lighter weight circuitry for critical spaceborne missions.
The die adaptor series provides easy printed circuit board (PCB) mounting for ‘plug and play’ functionality allowing designers to speed the time-to-market for critical applications using Rad Hard GaN transistors. Applications benefiting from the performance and fast deployment of these products include power supplies for satellites and mission equipment, light detection and ranging (lidar) for robotics and autonomous navigation and rendezvous docking, motor drives for robotics and instrumentation, and ion thrusters for satellite orientation and positioning as well as interplanetary propulsion of low-mass robotic vehicles.
“Beyond the superior performance, proven reliability, and ease of design, these devices offer superior radiation hardness under heavy ions (SEE) and gamma radiation (TID),” said Bel Lazar, CEO.
About EPC Space
EPC Space provides revolutionary high-reliability radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride power management solutions for space and other harsh environments.
Radiation hardened GaN-based power devices address critical spaceborne environments for applications including power supplies, light detection and ranging (lidar), motor drive, and ion thrusters.
Press Contact
Efficient Power Conversion: Renee Yawger tel: 908.475.5702 email: renee.yawger@epc.space
Rad Hard GaN drivers optimized to drive Rad Hard GaN transistors and specifically designed for critical applications in the high reliability or commercial satellite space environments.
HAVERHILL, MA.— October 2020 — EPC Space announced a family of Rad Hard enhancement mode GaN drivers and power stages. Rad Hard GaN drivers are optimized to drive Rad Hard GaN transistors in critical spaceborne systems. Rad Hard power stages integrate a high-speed gate drive circuit with power switches to provide a complete power stage in a tiny footprint for smaller, lower weight systems.
The Drivers and Power Stages product line includes ultra-fast low-side eGaN drivers, ultra-fast dual low-side eGaN drivers, and half bridge drivers with integrated eGaN power switches. These devices are ideal for high speed DC-DC conversion, synchronous rectification, commercial satellite electrical power systems (EPS) and avionics, and multi-phase motor drives. As an example, thousands of these devices are currently flying in orbit as motor drivers for satellite reaction wheels.
Beyond the performance improvement inherent from using GaN-based devices, these products offer superior radiation hardness under heavy ions (SEE) and gamma radiation (TID). EPC Space devices are manufactured in an AS9100D certified facility in the greater Boston area.
“These devices provide engineers with a higher performance, modular solution with guaranteed electrical, thermal, and radiation performance,” said Max Zafrani, Chief Technology Officer. “In addition to very high efficiencies and extremely low parts count, operation above 1 MHz enables smaller magnetics for smaller, lower weight designs and an extremely cost competitive solution”
About EPC Space
EPC Space provides revolutionary high-reliability radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride power management solutions for space and other harsh environments.
Radiation hardened GaN-based power devices address critical spaceborne environments for applications including power supplies, light detection and ranging (lidar), motor drive, and ion thrusters.
Press Contact
Efficient Power Conversion: Renee Yawger tel: 908.475.5702 email: renee.yawger@epc.space